New City Centre Red Routes

Drivers will no longer be able to stop on two key roads in Stoke-on-Trent city centre as part of plans to reduce congestion and improve safety.

Red lines painted on stretches of Marsh Street, Trinity Street, York Street and Etruria Road will be operational from next Monday (October 16).

The lines are being painted and signs installed along the roads this week.

Drivers are not allowed to stop under any circumstances on red route roads, painted with double red lines. CCTV cameras have been installed along these routes to enforce the new measure.

Councillor Dan Jellyman, Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s cabinet member for regeneration, transport and heritage, said: “These are the first red routes to be introduced in the city, which will help to reduce congestion and improve safety. It is important to keep traffic flowing on what is one of the key routes in the city centre, helping to support public transport, local businesses and jobs.

“Careless and dangerous parking, and dropping off and picking people up during evenings, has caused real safety issues along these roads. There have been many times where the roads have become entirely blocked, with emergency services unable to effectively respond to incidents.

“Red routes are a common site in many other towns and cities – including Birmingham, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton – and have proven to be very successful in improving road safety and reducing congestion. Installing them will complement other work being done in the city centre, which is seeing investment in pavements and is making the area much more attractive to visitors.”

As part of this measure, passengers of pre-booked cabs will need to go to a new location to be picked up in the city centre.
The city council has created an alternative pick-up point for pre-booked cabs on Clough Street, opposite the Portofino Italian restaurant on Marsh Street.

Passengers who just want to jump in a taxi can go to the temporary night-time rank further along Marsh Street (opposite Kwik Fit) or to the designated taxi rank by the bus station while the public realm work takes place on Stafford Street.

Councillor Randy Conteh, the council’s cabinet member for housing, communities and safer city and with responsibility for licensing, said: “The introduction of red routes in the city centre means drivers will no longer be able to stop on certain roads. Therefore, to aid taxi drivers who have been pre-booked, we have created a new pick-up where they can meet their passengers safely.

“We have in the past received complaints from a local business about large numbers of private hire vehicles parking in Trinity Street and Marsh Street in the early hours of the morning, and this is another reason why this designated pick-up point has been created.”